Relay.



N. H. SUREN.

RELAY. APPLICATION FILED MAY 8, 1914- RENEWED FEB. 17,19I5.

1, 145,942. Patented July 13, 1915.

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N. H. SUREN.

RELAY.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 8. 1914. RENEWED FEB. 17.1915.

Patented July 13, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Winesaes: .Ziavezzior/ COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60.. WASHINGTON. D C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NATHAN H. SUREN, OF NEEDHAM, 'MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 GAMEWELL FIRE- ALARM TELEGRAPH COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

RELAY.

Patented July 13, 1915.

Application filed May 8, 1914, Serial No. 837,323. Renewed February 17, 1915. Serial No. 8,889.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LNATHAN H. SUREN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Needham, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Relays, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to relays adapted for use in signaling-systems and. partlcularly fire-alarm telegraph systems.

The object of the invention is to ,PIOVldQ a relay especially adapted to control the cir-' cuit of an electrically operated. whistle, horn, signal-recorder, or other signal receivingdevice for fire alarms and other signals, whereby the blasts of the whistle and horn and the dashes of the signal-recorder will have a predetermined and uniform length regardless of the duration of the length of the breaks produced by the signaltransmitter or other cause.

In the generally accepted standard of fire-alarm systems, a closed circuit is employed, and the circuit-controlling wheels of the signal-transmitters, are of the skeleton type, whereby during the operation thereof, the circuit-closing periods are of the same duration and the open-circuit periods are of three different durations, the shortest being between the successive closures of a numbergroup of a round of a signal, the next longest being between the successive numbergroups of a round of a signal and the longest being between the successive rounds of a signal, or, as it is sometimes stated, between the successive repetitions of the signal it being understood that usually the signal is repeated four times, each being commonly termed a round. The blasts of the whistle and horn, and the dashes of the signal-recorder, are given during the aforesaid open-circuit periods and it is very important that they shall be of approximately uniform duration regardless of the varying duration of the open-circuit periods. The relay embodying the present invention is capable of so controlling the circuit or circuits, of the whistle, horn, signal-recorder, and other signal-receiving device or devices, as to enable this uniform action to be accomplished.

In another application, No. 747,322, filed February 10, 1913, a relay is shown having the capability of controlling the circuit or circuits of the signal-receiving devices or instruments, whereby such uniformity of action is obtained,'but this invention involves an improvement upon said relay which possesses some, advantages over the relay therein shown, among which may be mentioned the production of a very wide gap upon the openingmovement of the circuit-controlling members; and the employment of relay-magnets, such as are ordinarily used, whereas in said application the relay-magnets are wound with many more conv'olutions than is ordinarily required in order to energize the actuator of the timed actuating-means.

The present invention. consists in the combination of a relay-magnet, a circuit-con troller for a local-circuit controlling the signal-receiving instruments, the movable member of which is responsiveto retractive and attractive movements of the armature of said magnet, respectively, to engage and subsequently disengage its fellow-member, and timed actuating or moving-means associated with said movable member arranged.

to permit movement of said movable member in response to short open-circuit conditions of the controlling-circuit of the relay-magnet and to move said member to disengage its fellow-member at the end of a predetermined period of time in case the controllingcircuit remains open, said timed actuating member, thereby to open the local-circuit at the end of a predetermined period of time in case said circuit remains closed, which mechanism permits movements of said circuit-controlling member in response to the retractive and attractive movements of the.

armature of the relay-magnets; also in many combinations of elements and accessory features, as will be hereafter described.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a relay embodying this invention, the front plate being removed to expose the operating parts. Fig. 2 is a plan view'ofthe relaymagnet and controlling-magnet associated therewith and the controlling-member operated by said magnet. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the timing-train and relay-magnet. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section of the device shown in Fig. 1, taken on the dotted line, H, Figs. 5 and 6 are details to be referred to. Fig. 7 is a diagram of a circuit illustrating one arrangement of my newly devised relay therein.

Referring to Fig. 1, 10 represents a baseplate, of insulating material, upon which is suitably supported the relay-magnet 12, having its armature 13, borne by one arm 14:, of a bell-crank lever, loosely mounted on the pivot-shaft 15, the other arm 16 of said lever extending downward and supporting the movable contact-member. As here shown, said movable contact-member consists of a plate 17, bearing a contact-element of the armature of the relay-magnet.

18, arranged for engagement with a pair of stationary contact-members 19, and said member 17 is pivotally connected to the lower end of a lever 20, pivoted at 21 to the arm 16, and being thereby movable by and with said arm, and also independently thereof, and a spring 22 is connected with the upper end of said pivoted lever 20 by which said lever is normally held against 7 a stop-pin 23, when the armature of the relay is in attracted position, and a spring 26 is attached at one end to the lever 20, and at the other end to the contact-member 17, by which said contact-member is normally held'in elevated position and in engagement with the lower end-portion of the arm 16. Said contact member 17 has a projection 2 1, which is arranged to extend beneath a pro jection 25 on said arm 16, thereby to engage said arm, but disengagement may be easily effected by'a downward movement of said member 17 on its pivot. When the armature of the relay-magnet is retracted and the arm 16 correspondingly moved these several parts borne by it are moved bodily in a direction toward the contact-member 19, to c'ause'the contact-member 17 to engage therewith, and such engagement of the contact-members closes the local-circuit of the signal-receiving instruments. Such movement of the aforesaid parts is caused by the spring 22, which, it will be observed, is attached at one end to the lever 20 and at the other end to a fixed point, as for instance to one of the side plates of the device. A stop-pin 23 is employed to limit the movement of the arm 16 upon retraction case the open-circuit period of the controlling-circuit of the relay-magnet is of short duration, the armature of said magnet will be attracted upon the cessation of said period by the closure of the controlling-circuit, whereupon the aforesaid parts will be returned to the position shown in Fig. 1. Upon retraction and subsequent attraction of the armature of the relay-magnet when respondingto interruptions of short duration, of the controlling-circuit, the relative positions of the aforesaid parts will be maintained, and the blasts of the whistle, and horn, and the dashes of the signal recorder, will be of uniform length, and will correspond with the duration of the short open-circuit periods.

Herein controlling-means are provided for the movable contact-member 17, whereby said member is moved independently of the means heretofore described for moving it, or in other words, independent of the relaymagnet, so that in case the controlling-circuit of the relay-magnet remains open for a longer period of time than the duration of the short open-circuit periods, said contactmember will be moved to open the circuit of the signal-receiving instrument, thereby to correspondingly limit the duration of the blasts of the whistle and horn, and the length of the dashes of the signal-recorder, so that such blasts and dashes will be of approximately the same duration and length as the blasts and dashes produced upon the occurrence of the short open-circuit periods, thereby establishing the uniformity which is required. In my application aforesaid, actuating-means are provided for accomplishing this result, which are therein broadly claimed, but herein the actuating or movingmeans comprises a controlling-magnet 3O arranged in the local-circuit which is controlled by the relay contact-members, which may be the circuit, or one of the circuits, of the signal-receiving instruments, so that it is responsive to the closures of said circuit. The armature 31, of said controlling-magnet 30, is borne by one arm 32, of a bell-crank lever, loosely mounted on the pivot-shaft 15, the other arm 33 of said lever extending downward and normallv resting against an adjustable stop, and said armature is normally in retracted position as the local-circuit is normally open. Said arm 33 is loosely connected to a member 34, pivoted at 35, which is employed to disengage the movable contact-member from the arm 16, and said member 34: bears the ratchet-toothed. arm 36, which is pivotally connected to the upper end of said member, and said ratchettoothed arm engages the ratchetwheel 37, secured to a shaft 38, bearing a toothed-wheel 39, which engages a toothed-pinion 10, secured to a shaft 11, said shaft bearing the escapement-wheel 412, which is engaged by a pallet 43, secured to the pivot-shaft to which a bar 44, is secured, bearing weights 45. Said train of gearing, or any other suitable form of train which may be employed in lieu thereof, serves as and constitutes a timing-train by which movement of the member 34 is regulated. The ratchettoothed arm 36, is held in continuous engagement with the ratchet-wheel 37, by a spring 46, and when said arm is moved in one direction, as for instance in a direction toward the right, Fig. 1, the ratchet-wheel will be rotated and the component parts of the train of gearing will be moved, which movement is governed by a pallet, yet said arm is permitted to be moved freely in the other direction, as for instance in a direction toward the left, Fig. 1, without moving said ratchet-wheel, thereby providing for a slow movement of the member 34, in one direction and a quick return. The member 34, has an extension or arm 50, with or without a roll thereon, for engagement with a projection 51 on the movable contact-member 17, and when said member 34 is moved in a direction toward the right said arm 50 will engage said projection 51 and will move said member 17, thereby to cause its engaging end-portion to disengage the engagingprojection 25 at the lower end-portion of the arm 16. The movable contact-member 17, when thus disengaged, is free to move independently of the arm 16, and as it is borne by the pivoted lever 20, it will be moved by said lever under the control of the spring 22, in a direction toward the left, and will move in a path beneath the pin 25, until its carrying-lever 20, engages the stop-pin 23 and subsequently, upon closure of the controlling-circuit the arm 16 will be returned and will rengage said member 17. It will be understood that the member 34, is moved upon attraction of the armature of the controlling-magnet, which is responsive to a closure of the local-circuit by the contactelements 18 and 19, and in case said contact elements remain in engagement until the member 34 of the timing-mechanism arrives in position to engage the contact-member 17, said member 17 will be engaged by said member 34 and caused to disengage the arm 16, and return to normal position, independently, thereby disengaging the contactmember 19 and opening the local-circuit which includes the signal-receiving instruments, and also the controllingmagnet 30, whereupon the blasts of the whistle and horn, and the dashes of the recorder will cease and the armature of the controllingmagnet will retract. Thus the duration of the blasts and the length of the dashes are determined in such case by the timingmcchanism and controlled by the local controlling-magnet. In this structure the contact member 17 may have a long movement,

thereby to produce a wide gap when disengaged from the contact-member 19, and furthermore, as the relay-magnet only performs its regular functions of controlling the relay contacts, it may be wound accordingly, the power'required to actuate the timing-mechanism being derived from the controllingmagnet 30, in the circuit, and the power required to return the movable contact-member 17, being derived from the spring 22.

In case an alternating current is employed as the energy for the circuit of the controlling-magnet 30, as is sometimes the case, I have herein provided means for holding the ratchet-toothed arm in continuous engagement with the ratchet-wheel, which consists of a bell-crank lever pivoted at 60, one arm, 61, of which, bears a detent for engagement with a series of teeth formed on the upper side of said arm 36, and the other arm 62, of which, continuously engages the movable contact-member 17 and is held in engagement therewith by a spring 63. In case a direct current is employed, this detent car-.

rying-member may be omitted. It will be understood that the timing-mechanism will be adjusted to consume about the same length of time in operating as the duration of the short open-circuit periods, so that upon the occurrence of the long open-circuit periods, heretofore noted, the circuit of the signal-receiving instruments will be opened at approximately the time of cessation of th short open-circuit periods.

1. In a relay, the combination of a relaymagnet, armature and circuit-controller for a local-circuit, the movable member of which is responsive to retractive and attractive movements of the armature, respectively, to engage and subsequently disengage its fellow-member,timed moving-means associated.

with said movable-member for movingit to cause it to disengage its fellow-member at the end of a predetermined period of time in case the armature remains retracted, said timed moving-means having an actuator arranged to be controlled by the local-circuit, substantially as described.

2. In a relay, the combination of a relaymagnet, armature and circuit-controller for a local-circuit, the movable member of which is responsive to retractive and attractive movements of the armature, respectively, to engage and subsequently disengage its fellow-member, timed moving-means associated with said movable-member for moving it to cause it to disengage its fellow-member at.

a local-circuit, the movable member of which is responsive to retractive and attractive movements of the armature, respectively, to engage and subsequently disengage its fellow-member, timed moving-means associated with said movable-member for moving it to cause it to disengage its fellow-member at the end of a predetermined period of time in case the armature remains retracted, said timed moving-means having an electro-magnet associated with it which serves as an actuator therefor, said electro-magnet being arranged in the local circuit, substantiall as described.

4. In a relay, the combination of a relaymagnet, armature, armature-lever and a circuit-controller for a local-circuit,'the movable-member of which is arranged for movement with said lever in both directions, thereby being responsive to retractive and attractive movements of the armature, andis also movable independently ofsaid lever to disengage its fellow-member in case the armature remains retracted, and means ar ranged to control its independent movement, substantially as described.

5. In a relay, the combination of a relaymagnet, armature, armature-lever and a circuitcontroller for a local-circuit, the movable-member of which is arranged for movement with said lever in both directions, thereby being responsive to retractive and attractive movements of the armature, and is also movable independently of said lever to disengage its fellow-member in case the armature remains retracted, and means arranged to control its independent movement, requiring a prolonged period of time for operation, substantially as described.

6. In a relay, the combination of a relaymagnet, armature, armature-lever and a circuit-controller for a local-circuit, the movable-member of which is arranged for movement with said lever in both directions, thereby being responsive to retractive and attractive movements of the armature, and is also movable independently of said lever to disengage its fellow-member in case the armature remains retracted, and timed-moving means arranged to control its independnt movement, substantially as described.

7. In a relay, the combination of a relaymagnet, armature, armature-lever and a cir- Quit-controller for a local-circuit, the movable-member of which is arranged for movement with said lever in both directions, thereby being responsive to retractive and attractive movements of the armature, and is also movable independently of said lever to disengage its fellow-member in case the armature remains retracted, and means arranged to control its independent movement, including an electro-magnet which serves as an actuator therefor, substantially as described.

8. In a relay, the combination of a relaymagnet, armature, armature-lever and a circuit-controller for a local-circuit, the movable-member of which is arranged for movement with said lever in both directions, thereby being responsive to retractive and attractive movements of the armature, and

is also movable independently of said lever to disengage its fellow-member in case the armature remains retracted, and meansarranged to control its independent movement, including an electro-magnet controlled by the local-circuit which serves as an actuator therefor, substantially as described.

9. In a relay, the combination of a relaymagnet, armature, armature-lever and a circuit-controller for a local-circuit, the movable member of which is normally held in engagement with the armature-lever,whereby said member is movable with said armature-lever upon retractive and attractive movements of the armature to engage and disengage its fellow member, and timingmeans arranged to disengage said member from the armature-lever, permitting return movement thereof independently of said lever to disengage its fellow-member in case the armature remains retracted, substan tially as described.

10. In a relay, the combination of a relaymagnet, armature, armature-lever and a circuit-controller for a local-circuit, the movable member of which is normally held in engagement with the armature-lever, whereby said member is movable with said armature-lever upon retractive and attractive movements of the armature to engage and disengage its fellow-member, and timingmeans arranged to disengage said member from the armature-lever, permitting return movement thereof independently of said lever to disengage its fellow-member in case the armature remains retracted, and subsequently to permit reengagement or said member with the said lever upon attraction ofthe armature, substantially as described.

11. In a relay, the combination of a relaymagnet, armature, armature-lever and a circuit-controller for a local-circuit, the movable-member of which is pivotally supported on a lever which is pivotally connected to the armature lever and is arranged for engagement with and disengagement from said armature-lever, whereby said member is movable with said armature-lever upon retractive and attractive movements of the armature to engage and disengage its fellow-member and is also movable independently of said lever to disengage its fellowmember in case the armature remains retracted, and means arranged to disengage it from said armature-lever, permitting it to move independently thereof, substantially as described.

12. In a relay, the combination of a relayise magnet, armature, armature-lever and a circuit-controller for a local-circuit, the movable-member of which is pivotally supported on a lever which is pivotally connected to the armature-lever and is arranged for engagement with and disengagement from said armature-lever, whereby said member is movable with said armature-lever upon retractive and attractive movements of the armature to engage and disengage its fellow-member and is also movable independently of said lever to disengage its fellowmember in case the armature remains retracted, and timed moving-means arranged to disengage said member from the armature-lever, permitting independent movement thereof, substantially as described.

13. In a relay, the combination of a relaymagnet, armature, armature-lever and a circuitcontroller for a local-circuit, the movable-member of which is pivotally supported on a lever which is pivotally connected to the armature-lever and is arranged for engagement with and disengagement from said armature-lever, whereby said member is movable with said armature-lever upon retractive and attractive movements of the armature to engage and disengage its fellow-member and is also movable independently of said lever to disengage its fellowmember in case the armature remains retracted, and means arranged to disengage it from said armaturelever, permitting it to move independently thereof, said means involving an electro-magnet which serves as an actuator therefor, substantially as described.

l l. In a relay, the combination of a relaymagnet, armature, armature-lever and a circuit-controller for a local-circuit, the movable member of which is pivotally supported on a lever which is pivotally connected to the armature-lever and is arranged for engagement with and disengagement from said armature-lever, whereby said member is movable with said armature-lever upon retractive and attractive movements of the armature to engage and disengage its fellowmember and is also movable independently of said lever to disengage its fellow-memher in casethe armature remains retracted, and means arranged to disengage it from said armature-lever, permitting it to move independently thereof, substantially as described.

15. In a relay, the combination of a relaymagnet, armature, armaturelever and a circuit-controller for a local-circuit, the movable-member of which is pivotally supported on a lever which is pivotally connected to the armature-lever and is arranged for engagement with and disengagement from said armature-lever, whereby said member is movable with said armaturelever upon retractive and attractive movegage its fellow-member and is also movable independently of said lever to disengage its fellow-member in case the armature remains retracted, means arranged to disengage it from said armature-lever, permitting it to move independently thereof, and meansfor reengaging said member with the armature-lever when the latter returns to normal position, substantially as described.

16. In a relay, the combination of a relaymagnet, armature, armature-lever and a circuit-controller for a local circuit, the movable-member of which is pivotally supported on a lever which is pivotally connected to the armature-lever and is arranged for engagement with and disengagement from said armature-lever, whereby said member is movable with said armature-lever upon retractive and attractive movements of the armature to engage and disengage its fellow-member and is also movable independently of said lever to disengage its fellowmember in case the armature remains retracted, means arranged to disengage it from said armature-lever, permitting it to move independently thereof, means controlled by the relay-magnet for resetting said means, and means for rengaging said member with the armature-lever when the latter returns to normal position, substantially as described.

17. In a relay, the combination of a relaymagnet, armature, armature-lever and a circuit-controller for a local-circuit, the movable-member of which is pivotally supported on one arm of a spring-controlled bell-crank lever, pivotally connected to the armaturelever, said member having an engaging-portion arranged for engagement with an engaging portion on the armature lever, whereby said member is movable with said armature-lever upon retractive and attractive movements of the armature, to engage and disengage its fellow-member, and is also movable independently of said lever to disengage its fellow-member in case the armature remains retracted, a pivoted time-controlled member arranged for movement into engagement with said contact-member to disengage it from the armature-lever, permitting independent movement thereof, an electro-magnet controlling the movement of said pivoted member in one direction, and means to move said member in the other direction, substantially as described.

18. In a relay, the combination of a relaymagnet, armature and circuit-controller for a local-circuit, the movable-member of which is responsive to retractive and attractive movement of the armature, respectively, to engage and subsequently disengage its fellow-member, timed moving-means associated with said movable-member for moving it to cause it to disengage its fellow- In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence 1.0 of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

NATHAN H. SUREN.

member at the end of a predetermined period of time in case the armature remains in retracted position, and means controlled by the relay-magnet and arranged for engagement with said timed moving-means for preventing return movement thereof While the armature of the relay-magnet remains retracted, substantially as described.

Witnesses:

B. C. Bissn'r'r, LEONARD DAWSON.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for Washington, D. C. 

